Ducks make sushi for charity

Sept. 16, 2010

Updated Aug. 21, 2013 1:17 p.m.

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Ducks right wing Troy Bodie takes his creation, "The Bodie-licious Roll," through the crowd, which helped select the winning roll by purchasing it the most. His roll featured some of his favorites: spicy tuna, shrimp tempura and avocado on the inside, crunchy tempura bits and jalapeno on the outside. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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Getting training from sushi chef Chris Lee (left) was Ducks defenseman Sheldon Brookbank (right). Brookbank said he enjoys cooking but lets his wife do it most of the time. He's famous for his beef brisket. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

Ducks defenseman Sheldon Brookbank built three "Bank" rolls before cutting them each into eight pieces. He didn't like using the very-sharp knives. Sushi chefs also spent time working along side the players, preparing the custom creations to fill the demands of the evening's diners. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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Ducks right wing Troy Bodie concentrates on preparing his creation, "The Bodie-licious Roll," his entry in the second "Get Your Anaheim Ducks in a Roll" contest on Monday night at RA Sushi in Tustin. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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"The rice is really sticky," said Ducks right wing Corey Perry, right, joined by RA Sushi chef Eddie Choe. Starting out, Perry needed to learn just the right amount of rice he would grab for each roll. Early in the competition he started out with a mound of rice the size of a softball and be the end he palmed a more manageable puck-sized amount. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

This was a work in progress. Ducks right wing will tell you that "The Perry-dise Roll" didn't come easy as he (right) worked with chef Eddie Choe (left) on eary editions of his custom creation. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/'THE REGISTER

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Ducks defenseman Sheldon Brookbank puts the finishing touches on "The Bank Roll." He drizzled sweet eel sauce and spicy mayo over the top of "The Bank Roll," which had shrimp tempura, albacore and cucumber inside a roll topped with yellowtail, salmon and wasabi tobiko. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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About 200 Ducks season-ticket holders attended the second "Get Your Anaheim Ducks in a Roll" on Monday night at RA Sushi at The District at Tustin Legacy. More than $1,600 was raised for Anaheim Ducks Foundation that night from the raffle and proceeds from the sales of Ducks rolls. They watched players compete in a whole different way. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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Ducks right wing Troy Bodie said he has always been interested in learning how to roll sushi. Especially because he loves eating this Japanese delight. His favorite ingredient: shrimp tempura, which was featured prominently in "The Bodie-licious Roll." PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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The Ducks open training camp with a practice open to the public at 9 a.m. Saturday at The Rinks-Anaheim ICE. But the work for three Ducks and the Ducks-jersey-donning sushi chefs started on Monday night. Even though the event was just for fun and charity, the players immersed themselves in the competition. One player's roll would be selected to be featured on the RA Sushi menu during the NHL season. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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Ducks right wing Corey Perry took a lot of pride in his work. Although it was the staff at RA Sushi that largely came up with the recipe for his roll, he came up with "The Perry-dise Roll" name. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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These Ducks weren't just winging it. Ducks defenseman Sheldon Brookbank wanted his "Bank Roll" to look just right with the perfect among of wasabi tobiko piled atop each piece. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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Here's "The Bank Roll," this one made entirely by Ducks defenseman Sheldon Brookbank. It had shrimp tempura, albacore and cucumber inside; yellowtail and salmon on top with wasabi tobiko. The sauce is spicy mayo, sweet eel sauce and Sriracha. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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Ducks defenseman Sheldon Brookbank worked carefully on the appearance of "The Bank Roll," whose top was layered with albacore and yellowtail and garnished with wasabi tobiko and droplets of sweet eel sauce. He said someone told him that "we take our first bite with our eyes." PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf couldn't made his appearance behind the bar because of wisdom-teeth surgery that morning. But RA Sushi chef Shigeu Taira (pictured) was happy to make at show off "The Great Getz Roll" that had been conceived for the Ducks star. The roll featured yellowtail, salmon, avocado, cream cheese and jalapeno rolled in soy paper. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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"Making sushi is an art," said Ducks defenseman Sheldon Brookbank. Here's a picture of "The Great Getz Roll" inspired by absent Ducks center Ryan Getzlaf. This display was created by a real as opposed to imitation RA Sushi chef. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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Ducks right wing Corey Perry worked the crowd, showing off "The Perry-dise Roll" with the help of RA Sushi server Sarah Conrad (left). PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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Of all the rolls, "The Perry-dise Roll," by Ducks right wing Corey Perry was the tallest, each piece piled high with a mound of spicy albacore and kani kama crab mix. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE REGISTER

Some fans decided to pay special tribute to the Ducks who made the rolls. One fan showed Ducks right wing Corey Perry, a white plate with his No. 10 rendered in sweet eel sauce. One fan got a custom piece of "The Bank Roll" by defenseman-turned-chef Sheldon Brookbank that included his No. 21 in spicy mayo. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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Sushi chefs helped the Ducks fill their orders and experiment with slight variations with recipes. Here, different color sauces created a new look for the tempura-crusted "Bodie-licious Roll" by Ducks right wing Troy Bodie. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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Walking through the crowd of Ducks season-ticket holders, towering Ducks right wing Troy Bodie showed off his winning effort, "The Bodie-licious Roll." The tasty roll with spicy tuna, shrimp tempura and avocado inside and tempura bits and jalapeno on the outside was a hit with fans and judges for its crunch and kick. It will be featured on the RA Sushi menu at all four locations: Tustin, Huntington Beach, Chino Hills and Corona. It will be available through the NHL season, starting Oct. 13, and $2 from each purchase will benefit the Anaheim Ducks Foundation. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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The youngest member of the six-person judging panel was Tim Marchant (right front), 8, the son of Ducks center Todd Marchant. "I've been eating sushi for a long time, like since I was 6," said the young foodie. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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Three of the six judges -- Chis Totolo of 944 Orange County, left, Greer Wylder of Greer's OC, center, and Kim Daskas, right, of The District at Tustin Legacy -- sample the rolls made by the Ducks players and rated each on a scale of 1 to 5 on taste, creativity and appearance. It was a close race. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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Brittany Carr, left, and Amy Bassoff rave about "The Perry-dise Roll* created by Ducks right wing Corey Perry on Monday night during the second "Get Your Anaheim Ducks in a Roll" contest at RA Sushi in Tustin. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

Ducks fan Michael Shulman gave his thumbs up after taking a few bites of "The Perry-dise Roll," by Ducks right wing Corey Perry. Though it was the choice of two of the five judges and a third of the fans, it did not win the contest. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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It was crunch time for the judges when three of them needed to decide on the winning roll. Tim Marchant, (left) the son of Ducks center Todd Marchant, considered which player's card he'd hold up to announce his selection while two other judges -- Register sports columnist Marcia C. Smith and America Honda rep Eric Wedin -- prepared to weign in on "The Bank Roll" and "The Perry-dise Roll." PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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And here's the winning roll: The Bodie-licious Roll, which features spicy tuna, shrimp tempura and avocado inside, tempura bits and jalapeno on the outside. From Oct. 13 to April 8, 2011, the roll will be on the menu at RA Sushi restaurants in Tustin, Huntington Beach, Chino Hills and Corona, with $2 from the sale of each roll going to the Anaheim Ducks foundation. MARCIA C. SMITH, THE REGISTER

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And the winner is .... Ducks right win Troy Brodie comes through, having made "The Bodie-licious Roll," which will be featured on RA Sushii menus in all four restaurant locations: Tustin, Huntington Beach, Chino Hills and Corona. Bodie said "making sushi is fun and requires a lot of skill," but he told chef Shigeru Ishizaki (right), his mentor that evening, that he won't be leaving the rink any time soon. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

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Ducks right wing Troy Bodie celebrated the victory with his teammate for the evening, RA Sushi chef Shigeru Ishizaka, who helped him fill orders of "The Bodie-licious Roll." The winning roll featured spicy tuna, shrimp tempura and avocado on the inside, crunchy tempura bits and jalapeno on the outside with poki sauce. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

Ducks right wing Troy Bodie takes his creation, "The Bodie-licious Roll," through the crowd, which helped select the winning roll by purchasing it the most. His roll featured some of his favorites: spicy tuna, shrimp tempura and avocado on the inside, crunchy tempura bits and jalapeno on the outside. PHOTO BY ROSE PALMISANO/THE REGISTER, TEXT BY MARCIA C. SMITH/THE REGISTER

TUSTIN – Ducks forward Troy Bodie's eyes widened to puck-size with fear. Shigeru, a sushi chef draped in a Ducks jersey, held his breath. Even I slowly inched away during Monday night's moment of high drama and potential mass trauma behind the bar at RA Sushi at The District at Tustin Legacy.

That's where Sheldon Brookbank – the Ducks defenseman and an untrained knife-wielder – looked like a ninja wearing his black chef's jacket and cap and wielding a 14-inch knife that glistened brightly beneath all the flash photography.

He used the scalpel-sharp blade to trim off a piece of albacore that was about the size and shape of an adult thumb. Fortunately there were no dismemberments or injuries in the making of this sushi roll.

Click on the above "Photos" tab for a slide show of the event.

"I hate knives. They scare me," said Brookbank, 29, whose fear-factor grows more legitimate when you consider that one of his first jobs was as a beekeeper in Saskatchewan. "But I like cooking, and I now kind of like making sushi."

Brookbank, who joined fellow Ducks Bodie and Corey Perry in a row behind the sushi bar on Monday night for the second "Get Your Anaheim Ducks in a Roll" sushi-rolling competition, was making his signature creation "The Bank Roll."

He dribbled his fingertips in tepid water and wiggled them free of droplets. Next he mashed and pressed lumpy white rice into a thin bed atop a sheet of dried seaweed called nori. Then he gently placed julienned cucumber, cubed albacore and two tempura-crusted shrimp in a row at bed's center with the care of a Jenga champion making a move.

Finally he rolled the bed into a cylinder, its filling in the center, and announced, "There," like a kid showing his mother a tall sandcastle. "It's done. Almost."

This novel Ducks-off-the-ice charity event was literally a (raw) fish-out-of-water experience. About 200 Ducks season-ticket holders and a panel of five judges, ranging from center Todd Marchant's 8-year-old son, Tim, to this Register sports columnist, feasted on four Ducks creations and selected a winning roll to be featured on RA's menu during the NHL season, which begins Oct. 13.

Center Ryan Getzlaf was scheduled to be the fourth contender but was game-time scratch because of wisdom-teeth surgery that morning. He might have shown up if the contest were held at the nearby Pinkberry.

Proceeds from Monday night's sale and raffle – $1,600 – plus $2 from every winning Duck's roll sold during the season at all four RA locations in Tustin, Huntington Beach, Chino Hills and Corona will benefit the Anaheim Ducks Foundation. Last year's winning roll, "The Big Wisniewski," the brainchild of former Ducks defenseman James Wisniewski, raised $1,500 in a month.

"This is tough work and tight quarters," said a sweating Perry, working in a space more cramped than a penalty box and inferno-hot because of the convection oven broiling eel near this Ducks tail. "I'm sweating more here than in practice."

These are three rugged guys who will play confidently, skate furiously, shoot lustily and check brutally, opening the 2010-2011 season with training camp and a public practice at 9 a.m. Saturday at The Rinks-Anaheim ICE.

And here they stood on Monday night, fighting over having the best futomaki, waddling above their rolls, looking pensive and delicately stacking, rolling, drizzling, slicing and plating their culinary creations with perfectionists' eyes.

The spicy ingredients could have made mouths and eyes water, prompting one fan to suggest that player/chefs wear helmets with visors for next year's event.

"I've always wanted to learn how to roll sushi," said Bodie, whose creation featured shrimp tempura, spicy tuna and avocado inside, tempura flakes and jalapeno on the outside. "This is everything I like in a roll, so they let me put it together."

Helping Bodie, the Jackson Pollock of sushi artists, salvage a roll that was coming apart was Shigeru, who politely turned down free hockey lessons, saying and bowing, "He stays hockey. I stay sushi."

Perry showed the most attention to detail, pressing his hands around a bamboo mat to pack tightly the contents of "The Perry-dise Roll," which had salmon, kani kama crab, cucumber inside. Atop the cut roll, he balanced generous scoops of kani kama crab and albacore mix that sat on each piece like a giant toupee.

"Seeing the players off the ice shows just how down to earth and easy going they are," said Anita Takemoto, of Laguna Hills, who showed Perry her plate with Perry-dise lost and No. 10 fingerpainted in sweet eel sauce.

Perry finished third behind Bodie and Brookbank in the contest.

"C'mon, we're Canadian," said Perry. "As you can probably imagine, I didn't have much sushi before I came to play here. Sushi isn't that huge in Ontario (Canada)."

But on this night these Ducks were the most famous sushi chefs in the restaurant.

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